India to tour South Africa in 2017; Schedule yet to be announced
Indian cricket team will begin their overseas sojourn by touring South Africa for a four-Test series followed by 5 ODIs and three T20Is in late 2017 and early 2018. Last night, Cricket South Africa confirmed that Bangladesh, India and Australia will both tour the rainbow nation in their home summer.
Bangladesh will play two tests, three one-day internationals and two Twenty20 games in September and October 2017 while Aussies will be involved in a four-Test series against the Proteas in February and March 2018. India will likely travel in-between both the series in late 2017 and early 2018 and the CSA didn’t announce dates for India's tour to South Africa but they are hoping to finalise it in the New Year.
This will be India’s first tour to South Africa since December 2013 when a difference between CSA and the BCCI made sure that the teams just played three ODIs and two Tests. This time, the CSA will be more careful in finalising the dates for the India series after the BCCI rejected their schedule in 2013 and settled for a short series.
“Our scheduling discussions with the BCCI are in progress and we hope to be in a position to announce the fixtures for this tour in the new year,” said the CSA chief executive, Haroon Lorgat.
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Lorgat also conceded that a bumper season of cricket awaits the fans in the country and they can expect a big 2017-18 season for the Proteas.
“Another bumper season of attractive international cricket awaits our fans. India and Australia finished 2016 as the top teams on the ICC rankings list and this will give our players great incentive to perform at their very best. We have not beaten Australia in a home Test series since unity and that surely must be good reason to perform in order to bank a notable first. Our fans can look forward to a really big 2017-18 home season for the Proteas,” he added.
Bangladesh will tour the African nation for the first time since 2008-09 and will play the Test matches in Potchefstroom and Bloemfontein before moving to Kimberley, Paarl and East London for the ODIs and returning to Potchefstroom and Bloemfontein for the T20Is.
Bangladesh tour itinerary:
September 21-23: Three-day warm-up match against SA Invitation XI at Benoni
September 28-October 2: First Test at Potchefstroom
October 6-10: Second Test at Bloemfontein
October 12: One-day tour match against SA Invitation XI at Bloemfontein
October 15: First ODI at Kimberley
October 18: Second ODI at Paarl
October 22: Third ODI at East London
October 26: First T20I at Bloemfontein
October 29: Second T20I at Potchefstroom